Monday, 16 April 2012

8th/15th April Sightings - Part Two

12th April - La Siesta - Spent today doing boring but necessary house stuff so no actual sightings but couldn't resist adding these two beauties. Spotless Starling (picture below) sat on the Villa opposite ours and the Monk Parakeet catching some rays on the wires next door - not bad records from the garden !

Spotless Starling

Friday (13th Sssshhhhh don't say it out loud in case it curses our days birding).

Santa Pola/El Pinet - Still windy this morning but warm and bright, and with rain forecast for later, we decided to stay local today and visit the Saltpans at Santa Pola and the small reserve at El Pinet. Between the two sites we recorded 5 Gull species: Mediterranean, Yellow-legged, Black-headed, Audouin's and Slender-billed (see picture below). As we approached

Slender-billed Gull

As we approached the Tern Colony at El Pinet, we heard the distinctive call of the beautiful Bee-eater. Nine birds were feeding above the car, off the wires at the entrance to the reserve. Unfortunately they were far too active for us to photograph, but we enjoyed watching them and will get a picture as soon as we can. Moving into the reserve we had good views of Little, Whiskered, Sandwich, Common and Gull-billed Tern in good numbers.

Avocets, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole (see picture), Stone Curlew (5), White and Yellow wagtail. Couldn't resist another view of the Great Spotted Cuckoo which seem to be here in good numbers this year.

Details of our latest tour dates and destinations please click on the above Aquila Bird Tours logo and you will be re-directed to our website home page. Alternatively you can simply E-mail Ashley Powell at ashleypowell792@gmail.com

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